Octagon OBW

      I have made at least 5 One Block Wonder (OBW) quilts and love them. I have the book and noticed that there is one using octagons instead of hexagons. Wow, you can piece them together as whole blocks instead of half rows, love it. Of course, you need 8 repeats instead of 6. I did make one octagon one a while back, but just quilted it before eye surgery and bound it yesterday (black thread on black binding- needed perfect sight). I want to make a big one! Finding the right fabric is a huge hunt- I need a 24" repeat and eight of them. The background to foreground ratio has to be just right.
    Here is the finished octagon OBW. It is 41 x 53. Quilted with Glide Cleopatra (where do they get these names?). Now to find a wall space for it.

Slow Octagons

      Working on an octagon One Block Wonder (OBW). I sew them when I only have a few minutes because the pieces are small and be put aside easily. Sometimes I sew them as leader/enders. I like the octagon ones better than the hexagons because they sew together as whole blocks, not half hexies. More complicated, more repeats needed, but hey, looks terrific when done.

Probably only have half the octagons sewn, but they are so lovely, every one different

Helps to read the end of the book

     When I learned how to make OBW from a woman in my guild, I wanted to learn more, so I bought Maxine Rosenthal's One Block Wonders book. I got it on sale. I poured through it and have since made 3 more with another one cut and in process. 
     However, the other night, sitting in my new Morris Chair (wanted one all my life and hubby bought it for me for my birthday), I read past where the hexagon quilts complete. Lo and behold, there were octagon ones also. Really, I had this book for years and never saw this? And they sew into squares? What? 
     After I calmed down, I pulled out a fabric I bought for OBW that I had goofed with because the repeats are so small (12"). I thought, let me try an octagon one- I don't have to cut up a huge amount of yardage to try and see if I like it or not. Oh, yes, I like it! So much as a matter of fact, I had to buy some big yardage. I found a local quilt store with some Henry Glass Botannical Blooms. It is gone from everywhere else and bought it last week  (side note- my bad timing, this week all fabric is 20% off. Makes a difference when you buy 7 yards). First I will finish the Tivoli gardens fabric one, and then onto the big stuff.

Tivoli Gardens 12" repeat fabric

With the squares added enabling the blocks to be square. I just set the fabric in there, it will have to be cut into triangles and sewn on the top and bottom edges.

The 24" repeat Henry Glass Botannical print, 7 yards with (need 8 repeats for octagons)

Octagons Delight!

     OBW Octagons continued: After arranging/rearranging the triangle squares in the spaces between the octagons, I had to figure a way to get them off the wall and sew them. 

 

      In the book, she recommends taking two off the wall at a time. I did not want that kind of torture and knew I would not get those triangles in the right spots, so I pulled out my old friend, freezer paper.

 

      I already had cut squares that I had place another project on before, so that was easy. I numbered the rows and letter the columns- like A1, A2, etc with painters tape. Then I placed each block with the triangles on the paper and ironed it down. I made columns A through E piles. 
     I chose to chain piece three squares at a time. I put a colored flower pin in each octagon oriented flower to the top, the same color  pin and the same orientation on the freezer paper, and started on each octagon in the same corner and chain pieced. Even if I came back after a phone call or interruption, I knew exactly what piece went where. The only mistakes I made were on the first six blocks when I had not figured out the system yet.

Pin placement to keep orientation piecing correct.

Blocks sewn and trimmed to 8 1/2"

      Every block had to be trimmed to 8 1/2" and I tried to keep the centers consistent but it was almost impossible to keep the connecting blocks having precisely matched up seams. In the book, she says don't worry about it. I couldn't help it.
     I did the webbing technique, sewing two columns blocks together keeping the rows connected by threads. Then I sewed all the rows. All seams in this quilt were pressed open due to the bulk and the bias. I don't usually, but this quilt needs it. 
     I have to say, sewing this quilt together was like little jolts of electricity- I was so enthralled to see what was happening and when I sewed it all- I was awestruck. I just can't believe what this fabric did. I love it. I am not sure how to finish it. I want it to look like it is in a gallery frame with not a lot of attention to the frame. Puzzling the finishing through while basking in the beauty.

Ta- da!!

A great break at the lake

     One of the beautiful blessings of NYS geography is the Finger Lakes region. I just love to visit and drive through it. For our anniversary (celebrated late), we did an overnight in Watkins Glen which is at the bottom side of Seneca Lake, a crazy deep Finger Lake (over 600 feet). It is loaded with wineries dotted all around. I did some research on TripAdvisor and came up with a bed and breakfast in Watkins Glen called Idlwilde- a huge estate house built in 1892. The current owners have had it for 5 years and still have a bunch of work to do. It has a main house, a carriage house, an absolutely gorgeous gazebo, a tremendous view of Seneca Lake and is up a steep hill directly from the center of Watkins Glen. Watkins Glen has a racetrack that used to host the Grand Prix that my husband always attended. Now it holds some NASCAR and classic events. Too bad for the Grand Prix.
    We had breakfast on the unbelievable front porch and spent the evening after dinner in the gazebo marveling at the woodwork and view. It was quiet and the architecture outstanding.
    When you travel between the Finger Lakes, there is a high ridge between them with beautiful landscapes. Between Canandaigua Lake and Seneca Lake is Penn Yan with a great Mennonite fabric shop called Golden Lane where I stash enhanced with some clearance batiks and others.

Idlwilde with porch, side view

Hubby on porch drinking coffee and relaxing

Gazebo ceiling, original to house

Gazebo floor, phenomenal octagon

View from house, Seneca Lake at left middle.

    Since we were at Seneca Lake, we stopped at a few wineries. Lakewood lets you explore their land and look at the vineyards besides offering tastings and a gorgeous landscaped facility. They actually have a decent dry red wine, unlike most of the Finger Lakes wines.

    Hopefully, you have enjoyed the tour, especially Alycia who always bowls me over with her Colorado photos.

Violet quilt border wrangling

      My friend sent me a pin of a border that resembled a ribbon. I used graph paper and figured out a block that would finish at 4". The pin only had a section of it, not how it turned corners. Soon, I realized I was in trouble in the corners. I tried to use a HST of white and the light purple batik (Cairo), but the upper left corner looked awful. I tried the dark batik used in the border, but looked like holes.
     I looked at some butterfly patterns I had and found one I used to make a bunch of blocks (21) that are still not sewed into something. That block was 6 x 7. I tried to use a proportion wheel to find out what sizes I needed to cut the pieces. Trial 1 was a fail- too small. Trial 2 needed to have thin borders sewn around it to fit. Then I made three more. Those little blocks are a real trip to sew.

     The backing is sewn and as soon as I get the quilt that is on the longarm done, this one is going to be next.
     By the way, I had a hard time finding the right light purple batik for the border. I searched everywhere and found this one, Cairo, on Batiks Plus. I ordered two different light purples (Orchid) and Cairo was the winner. I had never ordered from them, but was very happy with their service. They put each yard of batik in a plastic bag that was labeled on the bag and on the fabric. They also included a free fat quarter of batik and shipped timely. I had to pay a premium for Cairo because it is a discontinued fabric, but it was the right color.
     As is my practice, I browsed the clearance section and found a Hoffman digital floral print I had admired years ago for $5 a yard! I bought enough for 8 repeats for a One block Wonder octagon design.

Loving the octagons!

      I truly love making One Block Wonder Quilts. You never know how they will look which is the hard part and the Eureka part. I hate making jigsaw puzzles because the photo is already on the box, so why am I doing it?
      I have had this fabric for a while. Cutting it up properly is a precision thing and a goof up can hardly be fixed, so that is why it sat. I am always looking for large scale florals to make one and I need eight repeats, so it is difficult. I have not found one in a while. Only certain fabrics work. The ratio of background and print has to be just perfect. This fabric could have used a little less black and more flowers. If anyone knows of any candidates out there for sale, drop me a note. I don't see any right now in my searching.
    I cut the fabric up before that last retreat in November and have been slowly piecing the octagons in pairs as leader and enders. Finally, all octagons sewn! I follow the assembly in the One Block Wonder book for the octagon blocks because they end up being sewn together as square blocks, not weird half blocks like the hexagons.
    At first, I had them in a long rectangle shape, but that did not work out. Once I had them sort of settled in a different configuration, I started adding the "Sensational Squares" as the author calls them. Then things get even more interesting. There are scores of photos of ideas but here are some. Still not decided what layout.

Octagons marching along

     After the retreat and the first of the octagon OBW blocks made, I was able to sew all of them together and also the connecting squares cut into triangles. The book was marginally helpful. Some of the steps were left out and I did not agree with her sewing advice. 
    So, I started with this fabric cut into eight repeats (repeat was 12").

      Then, all the pieces were cut and sewn into octagons. I arranged on the design wall.

     Twenty six photos and tries later, I had this.

     Then, I had piles of 8 squares. They went into two piles of 4. They were cut opposite each other. These pile of 4 triangles were arranged into a square, and I used painters tape on the back to hold them together to prevent a matching nightmare. These taped squares were auditioned in the spaces left between octagons. I got real excited at this point.

Groups of triangle squares for filling in. Pretty cool, huh?

Projects in the Pipeline

     When it was time for the retreat, I went into a cutting frenzy to get ready as I had no projects at a point to bring. Cutting is always easier for me when I have a bunch to cut- the mindset I need is better when totally engaged. After choosing/cutting the strip pairs for Maggie Pearl, I cut more quilts.
     One of the projects is Jelly Twist, a pattern I bought from Cluck, cluck, sew. I had a few friends that had made it and I thought it would look good with a darkish jelly roll that a blog friend gifted me. I was able to sew 30 of the I think, 48 blocks. All pieces are cut, just sew, usually I do two blocks at a time.

     Then I cut Fat Quarter Frenzy II from Sew Can She. I had a fat quarter bundle I had bought of Tula Pink fabric. Not my favorite fabric, but some girl will love it. I did some sample blocks and sewed all the HSTs. I did not do the lines drawn across the square and cut in the middle method. I never get the lines straight. I cut all the squares in half and sewed with the guide  (credit card) on my machine. I can be much more accurate. I still have to sew the white triangles on.

    I also mostly cut an octagon One Block Wonder, but did not sew any blocks. Photos at a later time.
    Other cut quilts, I did not get to at retreat. But, I have plenty of stuff to work on now as well as leader/enders for my Sugar Grove quilt.